7 Things That Happen When You Stop Eating Animal Products

People go plant-based for lots of reasons. These include reducing the risk of heart disease, losing weight, feeling more energetic, improving fitness performance, decreasing the number of pills they take, for ethical reasons… there are many great reasons!

For even more inspiration, check out Dr. Michelle McMacken’s latest fantastic piece, as published on Forks Over Knives, which goes through 7 benefits you can expect when you go plant-based:

1- You’ll reduce inflammation in your body:Eating meat, cheese and highly processed foods = elevated levels of inflammation in the body. While short-term inflammation (such as after an injury) is normal and necessary, inflammation that lasts for months or years is not. Chronic inflammation has been linked to the development of atherosclerosis, heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases, among other conditions. In contrast, plant-based diets are naturally anti-inflammatory as they are high in fiber, antioxidants & phytonutrients.

2- Your blood cholesterol levels will plummet: Elevated blood cholesterol = a key risk factor for heart disease and strokes. Saturated fat—primarily found in meat, poultry, cheese, and other animal products—is a major driver of our blood cholesterol levels When you go plant based blood cholesterol levels drop by up to 35% Whole-food, plant-based diets reduce blood cholesterol because they tend to be very low in saturated fat and they contain zero cholesterol. Moreover, plant-based diets are high in fiber, which further reduces blood cholesterol levels. Soy has also been shown to play a role in lowering cholesterol, for those who choose to include it.

3- You’ll give your microbiome (the trillions of microorganisms living in your body) a makeover:These microorganisms help us digest food, produce critical nutrients, train our immune system, turn genes on and off, keep our gut tissue healthy, and help protect us from cancer. Studies have also shown they play a role in obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis, autoimmune disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and liver disease.

Plant foods help shape a healthy intestinal microbiome. The fiber in plant foods promotes the growth of “friendly” bacteria in our guts. On the other hand, fiber-poor diets (such as those that are high in dairy, eggs, and meat) can foster the growth of disease-promoting bacteria. Ittakes only a few days for our gut bacterial patterns to change – the benefits of a plant-based diet start quickly!

4- You’ll change how your genes work:The antioxidants & other nutrients in whole plant foods can change gene expression to optimize how our cells repair damaged DNA. We’ve even seen that a plant-based diet, along with other lifestyle changes, can lengthen our telomeres—the caps at the end of our chromosomes that help keep our DNA stable. This might mean that our cells and tissues age more slowly, since shortened telomeres are associated with aging and earlier death.

5- You’ll reduce chances of getting type 2 diabetes:Animal protein has been shown in study after study to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. In the Adventist population, omnivores have double the rate of diabetes compared with vegans, even accounting for differences in body weight. In fact, in this population, eating meat once a week or more over a 17-year period increased the risk of diabetes by 74%! Similarly, in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study and Nurses Health Study, increasing red meat intake by more than just half a serving per day was associated with a 48% increased risk in diabetes over 4 years.

You will dramatically lessen your chances of getting type 2 diabetes by leaving animal products off of your plate and eating a diet based in whole plant foods. This is especially true if you eat whole grains, which are highly protective against type 2 diabetes. You read that right: carbs actually protect you from diabetes! Also, a plant-based diet can improve or even reverse your diabetes if you’ve already been diagnosed.

6- You’ll get the right amount -and the right type- of protein:Contrary to popular perception, this excess protein does not make us stronger or leaner. Excess protein is stored as fat or turned into waste, and animal protein is a major cause of weight gain, heart disease, diabetes, inflammation, and cancer.

On the other hand, the protein found in whole plant foods protects us from many chronic diseases. There is no need to track protein intake or use protein supplements with plant-based diets; if you are meeting your daily calorie needs, you will get plenty of protein. The longest-lived people on Earth, those living in the “Blue Zones,” get about 10% of their calories from protein, compared with the US average of 15-20%.

7- You’ll make a huge impact on the health of our planet and its inhabitants:Animal agriculture is extremely destructive to the planet. It is the single largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and is a leading cause of land and water use, deforestation, wildlife destruction, and species extinction. About 2,000 gallons of water are needed to produce just one pound of beef. Our oceans are rapidly becoming depleted of fish; by some estimates, oceans may be fishless by 2048. The current food system, based on meat and dairy production, also contributes to world hunger—the majority of crops grown worldwide go toward feeding livestock, not feeding people. Just the food that we put aside every year to fatten up animals to turn them into food products could feed about 11 billion people.

Equally important, animals raised for food are sentient beings who suffer, whether raised in industrial factory farms or in farms labelled “humane.” Eating a plant-based diet helps us lead a more compassionate life. After all, being healthy is not just about the food we eat; it’s also about our consciousness—our awareness of how our choices affect the planet and all of those with whom we share it.